The Page
by Eclectic Butterfly
Summary: When the Doctor arrives in London, 2007, he rescues a teenager from aliens. He discovers an alien war has been brought to Earth.   Set immediately after The Runaway Bride.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Dr. Who. I'm not sure what I would do if I did own it!  
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* * *

><p>New Year's Eve<p>

2000

In the skies over London, fireworks lit up everything. The crowds in the streets applauded and cheered. On one of the street corners, a single woman watched the show with a serene smile on her face. "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Your Highness, if such a display were to be happening on Selvia, it would mean there was an invasion imminent," an older man responded, coming up behind her. "How can that be beautiful?"

"This isn't Selvia, Orin," the woman answered, a laughing note in her voice. "You're getting old if you thought otherwise."

"We need to speak seriously, Your Highness," Orin said, his tone insistent. The woman sighed and turned around. They walked away from the crowds. "The war is not going well. More and more of the Selvian are getting taken. Ones who are nowhere near the fighting."

Looking down at the sidewalk, the woman shook her head. "Everyone not necessary for the fighting needs to go into hiding, Orin," she said. Despite the serious conversation, she smiled at the snow on the cement. "There's no other way around it."

"And where would that hiding place be?" Orin demanded. "I'm sorry, Sari. No place in this universe is free from fighting. Even this backwards planet has its wars. It would be pointless to hide our people in a place where they will only be killed by a fight that is not theirs."

"If they hide well enough, they won't be anywhere near fighting," Sari told him firmly. "This world has so many people; a few thousand more won't be noticed."

"If that is your order, I can do nothing else but comply," Orin said. There was no mistaking the resignation in his voice. "But my advice to you is to conscript more of our people into the fighting. The war would be over that much sooner and the healing can begin."

Sari paused and glared at him. Her blue eyes shifted into gold. "You can keep such advice to yourself, Orin," she said sharply. "There will be some organization required if my idea will work, of course." She began to say more, but paused. "Do you hear that?"

"Get behind me, Your Highness!" Orin exclaimed, reaching out to push the woman behind him. His hand started to glow.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Orin. I'm not under attack from anything but the snow," Sari said, pushing him aside. She glanced up and down the empty street as she walked to the building closest to her. "There's no one here, but I can hear the sound of one human's heartbeat."

Orin shook his head, looking very weary. "Your Highness," he said, "can we finish our discussion?"

"Oh, hello there, little one," Sari said, kneeling down. Her right hand glowed brightly as she held it out. A small child, dressed in a blue tunic and trousers, was huddled up against the brick wall. "She's almost frozen, Orin! How could someone abandon a child like this? I don't understand it."

Frowning, Sari touched a rather large locket that was around the child's neck. Whispers echoed in the street. Unsettled, Sari lifted it off the child and slipped it into her pocket. She reached down. "That just proves the kind of beings these humans are," Orin said. "Your Highness! What are you doing?"

Standing back up, Sari held the child in her arms. "I refuse to leave a child out in the cold, Orin," she said, a note of steel in her voice. "Oh, don't look like that; I won't make you take care of her or any such thing. Now, as I was saying. It will take organization, but it's not impossible."

"A being of your rank does not adopt stray children off the street," Orin warned.

"I can manage twelve Selvian's at a time," Sari continued as if he hadn't spoken. "The original twelve, once they have adjusted to human life, will be able to set up in other areas so that more of our people may come. Soon, the Terrians will face only our soldiers."

Orin scowled. "Your father would never have-."

"I am not my father, Orin. You would do well to remember that, and your place," Sari hissed. Her whole body started to glow. "You have heard my orders. Now give the word."

Stiffly, Orin bowed and his human form burst into energy. He vanished into the sky, masked by the fireworks. Sari scowled after him. She turned her attention to the child she held. "Let's get you out of the cold," she said.

* * *

><p>Silently, the Doctor checked the switches and knobs on the console. After Donna Noble's presence, the interior of the TARDIS seemed blissfully quiet. "Hold on," the Doctor said, frowning as the faintest of shudders went through his ship. It was too quiet.<p>

"We're not there already, are we?" he asked, getting out his glasses and checking the date. "Quietest landing on record, I think, in June, 2007." He lifted his gaze, tapping the screen. "Now why did you stop here? Nothing important went on that I can remember."

Thoughtfully, he slipped his glasses into a pocket on the inside of his suit jacket. After doing one last check of the console, the Doctor headed for the door. He poked his head out and took a look around. He stepped around and closed the door of the TARDIS.

The sun was shinning brightly overhead. The TARDIS had landed in a well maintained garden. Flowers of many colors grew along the tall brick walls. There was a stone path leading to the door of a massive, two story brick house. There seemed to be no one around.

"Nice place," the Doctor remarked. He caught sight of a flash from one of the upper windows. "That's odd."

Quickly, he made his way to the door and found it open. Puzzled, the Doctor stepped in and found himself in a room full of books. Shelves were on every wall. The Doctor picked one up and flipped through it. "Nice ending," he said, putting it back where it had been. "Didn't see that coming."

The old black and white tiles on the floor make the Doctor think this room had once been a kitchen. There was a desk next to a hallway where it appeared someone would sit. But there was no one in sight. What had once been a home had been turned into a library, it seemed.

Going through to the connecting hallway, the Doctor ended up at the front of the house where a staircase ended. Ornate woodwork graced the walls. To the left there was another room full of books, with a window seat. To the right was a staircase, and beyond the staircase was a smaller room, but it too was filled with books.

There was the sound of running footsteps from upstairs. The Doctor started to put his foot on the first step. At the top of the staircase, a brown haired girl skidded into view and started down. She froze halfway, her brown eyes widening. There was another loud thud and she half turned to look up.

A creature that appeared to be made of mud and dirt, but in humanoid form, came into view at the head of the stairs. "There's nowhere to go, Flesh Child!" it growled, shifting until it looked like a human. "No place for you to hide!"

"Come on!" the Doctor called out, holding his hand out to the girl.

Swiftly, the girl ran down the rest of the stairs and put her hand in his. Roaring in anger, the creature cascaded down the stairs like a mudslide. The Doctor led the way down the hallway to the first room of books. They'd almost reached the back door when a second creature rose up in front of it.

"Change of plans," the Doctor declared, spinning on his heel and dodging behind a shelf. He pulled the girl down beside him as he crouched. "Terrians. It's not often they show up on Earth. They're usually put off by the amount of water. I'm the Doctor, by the way. What's your name?"

Blinking in surprise, the girl answered, "My name's Paige. You know Terrians?"

"Pleasure to meet you, Paige," the Doctor said, over the roar of the Terrian. He rose up just enough to peer over the top of the counter. He pulled his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. "These two seem to be scouts. Not the most intelligent of the species, but good at tracking things."

The room shuddered as the Terrian entered. "Flesh Child, you can't hide from me," it rumbled. "The net is almost complete and we will have you all."

"They've never gotten this close before," Paige whispered.

"Found you." The Doctor and Paige looked up to find the Terrian hanging over the top of the shelf. Its eyes looked like two black pebbles.

"Paige," the Doctor said calmly. "Out in the garden, there's a blue box. When you have the chance, run for it and get inside."

He twisted the sonic screwdriver as he jumped up. The Terrian rumbled, a tentacle of dirt shooting forward. "Hm, not afraid of a screwdriver, it seems" the Doctor said, his tone perturbed.

Beside him, Paige shot to her feet. In her hands was a large, hardcover book. As hard as she could, she swung it. It smashed against the Terrian's head, scattering dirt across the kitchen. The creature roared in pain, staggering closer to the back door. Paige dropped the book.

"Let's go!" the Doctor exclaimed, grabbing her hand. He dodged around the Terrian, and ran back down the hallway. He darted out the front door and down the sidewalk. Once there and halfway down the block, he paused and looked back, letting go of Paige's hand. The two Terrians came to the edge of the lawn, but no further. "Concrete makes them nervous, but let's not risk it."

There was a flash, and the Terrians vanished. The Doctor started down the sidewalk. "Thank you," Paige said, brushing dirt off her jeans as she walked. "I don't understand where everyone went. There were at least six other people there!"

"Well, my guess is they got scared away by the dirt alien clopping through the shelves," the Doctor said. "Now, there is one thing I'd like to know. Why were Terrian scouts interested in you?"

* * *

><p>Blinking, Paige stared at the bright blue light that was inches from her face. "What are you doing?" she asked.<p>

"Well, you're human," the Doctor said, switching the screwdriver off and putting it in his pocket. He took off his glasses. "Terrians are at war with the Selvians." He paused and considered that. "At least, I think they still are at this point in time. Maybe only a few years left. The Terrians don't have time to quarrel with anyone else."

Frowning, Paige sat back on the bench. "This is very unlike the Terrians," the Doctor continued. "Unless those scouts were deserters who were hired by someone else to come after you. But why would anyone do that? What's so special about you?"

"Nothing that I know of," Paige responded, watching a family walk by.

"Who are you?" the Doctor demanded suddenly. "Where do you come from?"

Paige went still. "I'm from here," she answered. She waved her hand around the park. "London. As I said before, my name is Paige. Paige Mason." She shook her head. "I guess I should have gone to the museum with the others," she murmured, looking at the pond.

"Others?" the Doctor prompted.

"Oh, the…people I live with," Paige said, turning her focus back to him. "They went to the British Museum for a history lesson."

"Good place for it," the Doctor commented. "I don't know anything about a Mason being important in this time period. Unless you count the Maisons of the Gleck quadrant, but that's a little far from here. So, it has to be something else about you."

The girl shrugged. "What does your family do?" the Doctor asked.

"That's none of your business!" Paige snapped, her eyes flashing. The Doctor raised his eyebrows, regarding her quizzically. She took a deep breath and looked away. "I'm sorry. They're not really my family. I…don't know who my parents are. I was found on the street when I was a child."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said sincerely. "Earlier you said the Terrians never got close before. Have they been after you all your life?"

Thoughtfully, Paige stared at the nearby pond again. "They've always been a problem," she said, shaking her head. "For as long as I can remember, I've always seen them out of the corner of my eye. They look like they're waiting for that one moment in time when they can reach out and grab me."

"So you come here alone? You didn't tell anyone?"

"Sari said it was my imagination; that there wasn't anything to worry about," Paige admitted. She glanced at her watch. "I need to get back." She stood up and held he hand out. "Thank you for helping me, Doctor."

The Doctor jumped up. "You forget," he said. "There are two Terrians scouts on the loose. I'll take you home."

* * *

><p>The large group moved through the Egyptian section of the British museum. "As you can see, the human race has a lot of history," Sari said, looking around at her avid listeners. "While it not socially necessary to know every detail, it is advisable to know some."<p>

"Their entire history seems to one of violence and war, Miss Sari," one of the group, a young boy, commented, studying one of the artifacts. "Does that account for their present inclination to solve all problems with war? How would we avoid getting involved?"

"Hirnov, that will be discussed in next week's lesson" Sari answered, her smile fading slightly. "For now, pick an area of Earth history to learn about."

"Sari," Orin moved to her side before she could move on. "I've received a signal from your dwelling."

Alarmed, Sari turned to face him.

* * *

><p>"You seem to be taking the fact that aliens were running around a library very well," the Doctor observed.<p>

Paige laughed softly. "After what happened last winter? The star that started blowing things up? There's not a lot that would actually surprise me, Doctor," she said. She stopped and nodded towards the brick house on her right. "That's my home."

"I'd love to meet the family," the Doctor said, stepping onto the sidewalk.

Nervously, Paige dodged around to intercept him. "Like I said before, no one's here," she said. She looked down as the ground started to shake. "Oh, no!"

"One brilliant trick the Terrians like to use is they can travel through dirt," the Doctor informed her. "A little difficult in London, but not impossible."

Swiftly, Paige caught his hand and pulled him through the front gate. "They shouldn't be able to get to us here," she told him.

The ground exploded on her right. As dirt and grass rained down, a Terrian rose up. "There you are, Flesh Child."

"Nice theory," the Doctor said.

"There's…there's a Selvian generator in the shed," Paige blurted out, pointing towards the back. "It must have malfunctioned. If it started working again, the Terrians will go away."

"Then, we have a plan," the Doctor declared. He bolted up the sidewalk to the front porch. Following him, Paige unlocked the door and pushed it open. Hand in hand, they ran through the house as the Terrian clumped after them. "Do you know how to get it working?"

They ran through the kitchen and out the back door. "Not exactly," Paige answered as they went towards the small shed at the farthest corner of the garden. "I don't think I'm even supposed to know it's here. But, I'm pretty good at fixing things. What about you?"

The second Terrian exploded out of the ground to their left. "We-ell, I do know a thing or two about alien technology," the Doctor said, as he reached the shed. He pulled the shed door open and darted inside. "This should be no problem."

Paige closed the door behind them and leaned against it. The door shuddered against her back. "Can you fix it?"

Crouching by the rusty-looking piece of machinery, the Doctor pulled out his glasses. "It's been years since I've seen anything of Selvian design!" he exclaimed, holding the sonic screwdriver closer. "Look at those lines! This is gorgeous! Or, it used to be gorgeous. Poor thing's a bit worse for wear, I'm afraid."

A hand broke through the wood by Paige's head. "Doctor!" she exclaimed.

"Ah, there you are," the Doctor said, sticking the sonic screwdriver into a gap. "That's odd. A loose connection like this shouldn't happen. This should-." The generator started, a low humming filling the small shed. A glow built up around it as the Doctor backed away. "Shall we see if it worked?" he asked, dusting off his jacket.

"I don't hear anything," Paige reported, straightening up.

The Doctor pulled the door open. The garden was empty. "They're gone," he said, stepping out. He looked around the garden. "They must've heard the generator turned on and transported out of here. Otherwise, there'd be a great, big mud puddle right about there."

Paige stepped out beside him. "I think I could use a cup of tea," she said. "How about you, Doctor?"

"I can always do with a nice cuppa," the Doctor declared.

Nodding, Paige led the way back to the kitchen. Stepping over some dirt, she reached for the kettle. The front door slammed. Paige cast a panicked look at the dirt covering the kitchen floor. "I'm so dead," she groaned, dropping onto a stool. She put her head down on the counter.

"Paige!"

Taking a seat, the Doctor looked on in interest as a black haired woman came running into the kitchen. The woman's blue eyes flicked around the room, before settling on Paige. "Paige, are you all right?" she exclaimed, rushing to put her arms around the girl. "I thought the shield had collapsed!"

"Who are you?" Orin demanded, advancing towards the Doctor. The old man's hand glowed red.

"You're Selvian!" the Doctor exclaimed in delight. "You're all Selvian! That's why the Terrians were interested in Paige! All of you Selvians in one place would be a huge target, and why would you have a human in your midst?" He frowned. "Why do you have a human with you?"

Furiously, Sari glared at him. "How do you know who we are?" she asked. Her entire body shimmered a rainbow of colors, revealing her indignation. "How did you get in here?"

"Sari! It's all right!" Paige objected, pushing free. The shimmer vanished as Sari looked down at the girl. "This is the Doctor. He saved me from the Terrians. They came after me at the library. And, when we got here, the shield was down and they got inside."

"Oh, I'm sure you would have been fine," the Doctor said to her. Realization crossed his face and he jumped up from his seat. "Did you say Sari? As in Sari, Lady of Light, Daughter of Irvin, Reigning Queen of Selvia? Why, that's brilliant! I knew your father!"

A frown creased Sari's forehead as Paige stared in open surprise. "Doctor?" she said.

"Hello," the Doctor responded. "You weren't even created the last time I was on Selvia! Here you are, hiding out on Earth, and in human form, no less." He turned his attention to Orin. "General! I like the human form. It makes you look years younger."

Orin scowled, but nodded in acknowledgement. "My father spoke of you often," Sari said, her voice amazed. "I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Doctor." She shook her head and looked down at the dirt covering the floor. "The Terrians shouldn't have even attacked. We weren't here."

"The Terrians have been getting more and more desperate," Orin said, a smirk on his face. "They will fall yet."

"Enough, Orin. See to the others. I'm sure they must be worried," Sari ordered, sending a sharp look at him before turning her back on him. "Paige, don't you have homework and studying to get done? Don't worry about this mess. Someone will clean it up."

"I'd like to help," the girl said.

"Go to your room," Sari told her firmly. The teen sighed and left the kitchen, waving at the Doctor. "Now, Doctor. You asked why there is a human child with us, I believe."

* * *

><p>Grimacing at the dirt in the hallway, Paige went to the stairs and started up. "Paige." She turned at the sound of her name. Hirnov stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring unsmilingly up at her. "I left my backpack out by the front gate. Run and get it for me," he said.<p>

"I'm not your servant, Hirnov!" Paige told him. "And if you try to tell me Selvians are superior to humans I will hurt you."

"I'm not allowed outside the gate without General Orin or the queen," Hirnov said, his tone condescending. "You know that as well as any of us, and you, Paige Mason, are human. What possible reason would the Terrians have to take you? Go out and get it."

Smiling icily, Paige came down the steps. She poked Hirnov in the chest. "Not until you ask nicely," she said. "Consider it an exercise in acceptable social interaction."

Glaring, Hirnov clenched his fists. "Please will you go out and get the backpack," he said.

Two Selvians passing by snickered. "I will be happy to go out and get it," Paige told him. She went to the front door and stepped out onto the porch. Out at the front gate, Paige stepped beyond the Selvian shield, feeling the slight tingle of static electricity. She spotted the blue backpack on the ground, almost in the street. Shaking her head, she started walking towards it.

A large white van stopped beside the backpack. "Paige Mason?" a bald man called out, rolling down the window. He held out a tiny object and a fine mist sprayed out. Everything went black.

* * *

><p>Stirring her tea, Sari sighed. "How much do you know about the SelvianTerrian war?" she asked.

"I know the basics," the Doctor answered. "The Selvians and Terrians share a planet. The Selvians are energy based life forms, and the Terrians are earth based. About three generations ago, you both came to the conclusion that the planet wasn't big enough for two races, and you each have been trying to kick the other one off since then. Sound about right?"

Sari shrugged. "For the most part," she said. Her face hardened. "Did you know the Terrians have been systematically kidnapping innocents and selling them?"

Leaning forward, the Doctor frowned. "No, I didn't," he said. "Why would they do that?"

"As energy beings, Selvians have the capability of healing others," Sari explained. "When we are highly emotional, it's a reflexive instinct to try to heal anything around us. I think the Terrians are selling my people to ones who would abuse out gift."

"I'm so sorry," the Doctor said, reaching out and touching her hand. "I promise I will do whatever I can to help you."

"No, Doctor, we will fight our own war," Sari said, straightening. "Anyway, I was advised to leave the planet. I chose Earth because humans are so wonderfully innocent. Once it was verified Selvian innocents were being taken, I organized an evacuation to here."

The Doctor laughed in delight. "And you instruct them all to fit in," he exclaimed. "That's brilliant!"

The Selvian shrugged modestly. "Seven years ago, I found a child on the streets," she continued. "Someone had abandoned her there. I couldn't just leave her, so I brought her here to heal her. The only thing she remembered was her name, Paige. I searched for who could have lost her, but found no one."

"Some humans are like that, for all their brilliance and innocence," the Doctor said sadly. He shook his head and laughed again. "No wonder she was not at all surprised about aliens. She grew up with aliens."

"I still don't understand why the Terrians would go after her," Sari said, hitting the counter with her fist. "They would know she was not Selvian. Even with our human forms, all Selvians emit the slightest of signals that a Terrian would hear and recognize."

Thoughtfully, the Doctor considered that. "The Terrians did call her 'Flesh Child,'" he said. "But I assumed they were mocking her." He shook his head. "One of them also mentioned a net that was in place. Do you know anything about that? What they could have meant?"

"No, but Orin might have heard," the Selvian queen answered.

A young Selvian came waltzing into the room. "Oh, you must be Paige's new friend," she exclaimed, smiling at the Doctor. Her green eyes went bright blue for a moment. "You seem a bit old for her…but not for me."

"Marie, was there something you needed?" Sari asked in exasperation.

"Yeah, I'm looking for Paige," Marie said, pulling her focus away from the Doctor. "She promised to help me with this history thing and I can't find her."

Sari shook her head. "She's in her room."

Marie frowned. "No, she's not," she said. "I was just up there and she's not. I checked everywhere. She's not in the house."

Alarmed, Sari jumped to her feet. "Paige!" she shouted, running for the hallway. The Doctor was right behind her. All the other Selvians jumped out of the way as the queen bolted up the stairs to the second floor, and then up to the attic. "Paige!"

The attic room was empty. "Check outside," the Doctor ordered the pair of Selvians that had followed out of curiosity.

"She's gone," Sari breathed.

* * *

><p>"Alvina," a stout woman sighed, staring down at the wounded dog lying in the back of the car. "I've told you to watch where you're going. Driving a machine of this sort is not an easy thing, and it is a privilege that can be taken away from you over such things as this."<p>

"My Earth name is Allie, Susan!" the teen objected. "I didn't see it in the road! Please can you fix it?"

At least you had the sense to not to reveal your gift," Susan said, shaking her head. She reached out her hand, which started to glow. After a few moments, the dog whined and started to wag its tail. "There. Now, don't think you're going to wheedle me into letting you keep-."

Allie's eyes widened as her mentor's human form melted into pure energy. Then, Susan vanished completely.

* * *

><p>"We went as far as the edge of the shield," one of the Selvians reported, running back up to the attic room. The Doctor had commandeered Paige's computer, and was modifying it with his sonic screwdriver. "There is no trace of Paige anywhere, Your Highness."<p>

Furiously, Sari created a ball of energy in her right hand and she flung it at the window. "Why do the Terrians want her?" she demanded as the glass shattered. "Why are they dragging her into this war, Doctor? Why is she suddenly so important? She's just a human child!"

"I don't know," the Doctor said honestly, glancing over his shoulder. The computer beeped and he turned his focus back to it. "There we are! Let's see if we can't track her down with her phone's GPS." He typed swiftly. "No. All the satellites can't be busy."

Several moments later a map of London came up and then went in closer as a single red dot appeared. "There we are," the Doctor said in triumph. "They haven't taken her far but they're on the move still. Now let's see what those satellites are up to."

"The Terrian scouts will pay for this!" Sari raged, spinning to go to the door.

"Hold on," the Doctor said, jumping up from the desk. He abandoned his project to dodge in front of the queen. "Let me handle this. If you go in and do anything to those scouts, your war will go on for centuries. There's probably been a mistake and this can be resolved without violence."

Sari glared at him. "Your Highness!" Orin exclaimed, rushing up the staircase. "We've lost all communication with Selvia. And I fear the Terrians have set a trap."

"What do you mean?" Sari snapped impatiently.

"I've received reports from several of the Selvian groups around the world," Orin explained, glancing at the Doctor before focusing on Sari. "Immediately after communication with Selvia failed, Selvians who were, for whatever reason, healing or not in human form vanished."

Horrified murmuring began all down the staircase. "Everyone, hush!" Sari ordered. "Explain, Orin. How is that possible? Where did they go?"

"Nothing further is known," Orin said. "Each Selvian that was healing was transformed into his or her original form and vanished into the sky. For thirty seconds, communication was reestablished with Selvia, but it was lost again."

The Doctor spun on his heel and darted back to the computer. "Oh, that is clever," he said. "Evil and wrong, but still clever! That's why the satellites reported as busy. The Terrians are using them to cast their own kind of shield around the planet."

"Doctor?" Sari asked, turning to face him.

"It picks up any Selvian signal that's strong and the ship that's waiting nearby teleports the Selvian aboard," the Doctor said, snapping his fingers. "That's the net! Oh, but it has a flaw. It takes thirty seconds to reset itself."

Orin nodded. "All it would take is thirty seconds to flee," he said. "I am prepared to sacrifice myself, You Highness, that you and the all the other Selvians on this planet may escape. I've already spoken to each group and they are ready for you to give the evacuation order."

Sari was already shaking her head. "And leave Paige in the hands of the Terrians?" she responded. "I will never, never do that to her."

"Leave Paige and the Terrians to me," the Doctor told her. "You're the ruler of your people, Sari. They need you, or this war won't end."

"And what would become of Paige then?" Sari demanded. "She is still a child and without me, she has no one. I won't leave until she is safe and settled."

Her general scowled. "No Selvian will leave without you, Your Highness," he said.

"Well, since it looks like no one's going anywhere until Paige is safe and sound, I better be on my way," the Doctor said. He slipped the sonic screwdriver into his pocket.

"I'm coming with you, Doctor," Sari said. She held up one hand as he started to object. "This is not an open discussion. Paige is under my care and responsibility."

"All right," the Doctor said. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Groaning, Paige struggled to get herself up right. Her hands were tied behind her back. She fell to the side as the van came to an abrupt stop. She shook her head to clear it. "The Flesh Child is awake," a gravelly voice said.<p>

Page lifted her head and saw the bald man still in the passenger's side, who was looking back at her. Behind the wheel was a Terrian. "What do you want with me?" Paige demanded.

"It doesn't matter," the Terrian said in answer to the bald man's statement. "The queen will come to us and then the rest of Selvia will fall."

The bald man got out of the van, walked to the back, and opened the door. He grabbed Paige and slung her over his shoulder. He carried her like that through a building. He dumped her onto the floor and left the room. The door slammed shut and the lock clicked.

Righting herself, Paige glared at the door. "I will get out of here," she said fiercely. Her shoulders slumped after a moment. "I just haven't figured out how."

* * *

><p>Looking grim and displeased, Orin drove through the city. "Doctor, I wasn't exactly honest with you earlier," Sari said, abruptly. Interrupted in his monologue about the streets of London, the Doctor looked at her quizzically. "When I found Paige, there was…something around her neck."<p>

"'Something around her neck?'" the Doctor repeated.

Sari reached for her pocket. "I thought at first it was a locket of some sort, but it was much too large," she said. "The only comparison I can make is to an old fob watch, that human males used to wear long ago. There were strange symbols engraved on it."

"What?" the Doctor said, his voice low.

"I've kept it these past seven years," Sari admitted, drawing the object out of her pocket. "It won't open, but every time I touch it, it seems to whisper."

His face pale, the Doctor reached out and took it from her. "It can't be," he breathed. He held it up to his ear and a grin crossed his face. "It is! I can hear her in there!"

"What is it, Doctor?" Sari asked in confusion.

"Its part of a Chameleon Arch," the Doctor said, examining it closely. He tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. "Now that's odd," he said, reaching for his sonic screwdriver. "As I was saying, it's a Time Lord device that hides a Time Lord as a human."

"Are you trying to tell me Paige is a Time Lord?"

Ignoring the question, the Doctor shook his head as the sonic screwdriver did nothing. "It's sealed," he said, his tone puzzled. "Only Paige will be able to open it. There, Sari. We get Paige away from the Terrians and you can leave for Selvia without a thing to worry about."

Sari frowned in confusion. "We've reached our destination," Orin announced, pulling the small car up to a large warehouse.

"I'll hold on to this," the Doctor said, pocketing the watch-like object. Thoughtfully, Sari nodded. The Doctor hopped out of the car and adjusted the sonic screwdriver's settings. "If I can pick up Paige's phone signal, we'll just follow it right to her."

With the two Selvians behind him, the Doctor headed for the warehouse. "Hold there!" a tall man in a baggy guard uniform came towards them. He had his hand on his gun in an effort to appear threatening. "No one's allowed on the premises."

"You'd be the security guard then," the Doctor said cheerfully. The guard nodded warily. The Doctor whipped a slip of paper out and held it up. "We're with the…Warehouse Inspection Division. We're just going to have a look around. We'll be in and out before you know it."

The guard didn't move. "I've never heard of the Warehouse Inspection Division," he objected.

"Well, new division," the Doctor said. "You haven't seen a teenage girl around, by any chance?" The guard shook his head. "What's your name?"

"Steve."

The Dcotor shook Steve's hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Steve. I'm the Doctor," he said. "Well, as I said, we'll be in and out."

Dumbfounded, the guard stared after the trio.

* * *

><p>Hissing in pain, Paige twisted her right hand free of the restraint. She shook the rope from her left hand and frowned at her raw skin. "Now to get out of this place," she said. She got to her feet and turned around to get a good look at her prison. "What can I use?"<p>

Her eyes fell on a length of wire in the corner. "That," she exclaimed in delight. She grabbed it and went to the door. She crouched and peered at the lock. "This should only take a moment."

* * *

><p>"Oh-ho! Now that I can use," the Doctor exclaimed, spotting a computer set up with bits of alien technology wired in on each side. He jogged over and stared studying it from every angle. "This is what they're using to control the satellites. I can shut it down from here."<p>

"Doctor, what about Paige?" Sari demanded, glancing around at the large boxes surrounding them.

Pausing, the Doctor nodded. "You're right, Your Highness," he said. "First we find Paige, and then we disable the shield."

The floor of the warehouse shuddered. "At last," a gravelly voice laughed. "The queen of the Selvians."

Two of the Terrians and the bald man came out of the shadows. Orin stood protectively in front of Sari as the Doctor backed away from the computer. "You won't harm her," the general snarled.

"Things not going according to plan, Orin?" the Doctor asked. He glanced over his shoulder. "Because this has all been your plan, hasn't it?"

"Orin? What's he talking about?" Sari asked, turning to her general.

"I am General Enost, and this is General Trid," the bald man said sharply, gesturing to one of the Terrians. He walked up to Sari and snapped a bracelet like device around her wrist. "This is entirely of our doing, sir, and we will take full credit for bringing this war to an end."

Raising his eyebrows, the Doctor faced him. "Oh, I'm sure you'll get all the credit for this," he said. "Because why would a Selvian instigate a Terrian invasion that will only prolong the war?" He paused. "But that's it, isn't it? If the war ended, what would a general do then?"

Furiously, Orin stepped forward. "You go to far, Doctor!"

"Oh, I don't think so," the Doctor responded. "It makes sense, doesn't it? There's a queen who wants to escape the war, and she goes to another planet. Without her, the war loses a bit of its importance, the people start to lean towards peace. The good general realizes he's about to lose his job.

"Then, of course, there is the fact that Terrians don't have access to the technology for teleportation," the Doctor continued. He gestured to the computer. "That's definitely from Raxacoricofallapatorious. And they're known for dealing in anything. You just lead them to innocent Selvians and the Raxacoricofallapatorian**s** sell them to the highest buyer."

"Enough!" General Enost snapped. He pointed to Sari. "You, Your Highness, will bring an end to this war here and now. The Selvians will leave our planet, and never return. All Terrians that are currently being held as prisoners of war, will be released immediately."

"Or what?" Sari challenged. "You'll kill us all? Then, this war will never end! The Selvians will fight and fight until our planet is desolated."

"What a shame that will be," the Doctor added. "I'm sure there's away to resolve this without someone getting hurt or killed."

General Enost smirked. "Once Queen Sari relinquishes Selvian control of our planet, no one will be harmed," he said. Sari raised her chin defiantly. "Refuse, and the Flesh Child will be destroyed."

"I think you've underestimated the 'Flesh Child's' friends," the Doctor told him. He raised his right hand and the sonic screwdriver. "Did you think I was just looking when I was by your set up over there? One signal from me, and the whole thing gets destroyed."

The Terrian general raised his own hand. A small device gleamed in the dim light. "One word from me, and the Flesh Child dies," he threatened. "We can survive without the detection net. We have the queen tagged already."

"So, stalemate, then," the Doctor said. He aimed the screwdriver at Sari. "Because if I destroy the tag on the queen, she escapes and you don't want that, do you?"

"Destroy it, Doctor!" Orin ordered, "before another Selvian gets taken."

Sari shoved him away. "No!" she objected. "I will not risk Paige." She glared at the Terrians. "I am willing to negotiate with you."

"There is no negotiating," Enost told her. "Either you comply with our demands or the Flesh Child dies."

"Do you have to keep calling her the Flesh Child?" the Doctor asked. "Soon you'll be calling me the Flesh Man, which I'm not. I'm the Doctor."

The device in Enost's hand let out a burst of static. "General, the Flesh Child has escaped."

Orin scowled. "See, this is what happens when I come around," the Doctor commented with a grin. "Nothing ever goes according to plan."

"Oh, my -." Everyone turned to see the security guard in the nearby doorway. His gun was in his shaking his hand, and had it aimed at the Terrian general, Trid. "What is this?"

"Steve, there's nothing to be concerned with," the Doctor said soothingly. He took a step towards the guard, only to freeze when the gun was abruptly aimed at him. The Doctor held out his hand. "Put it down, Steve, before someone gets hurt. There's nothing you need to worry about."

Steve stared at the Terrians. "They're...they're not human."

"No, they're not," the Doctor said patiently. He remained completely still as the gun wavered from one target to another. "But, is that so strange considering everything that's happened in London these past few years? Aliens are hardly unknown now."

The gun shook even more. "Enough of this!" Enost snarled. Everyone flinched as the gun went off. Even Steve looked shocked, dropping his hand. The third, unnamed, Terrian bounded over to take the man into custody. "Queen Sari, we will complete your surrender."

"Hold on a minute," the Doctor said, turning in a full circle. "We all know the gun went off. But here we are, all the same as ever. No bullet wounds. I didn't hear the bullet ricochet, or any kind of splintering from a box did you? So where did the bullet go? ...Paige!"

Spinning around, the Doctor spotted a figure lying on the ground on the other side of the computer set up. He bolted for her, ignoring the furious shouts from the Terrians. He skidded to a stop and knelt down. "Paige!" he exclaimed, reaching for his pocket.

Sluggishly, Paige's eyes opened. Her hands, which were at her chest, moved slightly. "Doctor...?" she murmured, struggling to breath. Blood seeped from the bullet hole in her chest.

"Hold on, Paige," the Doctor said, grasping her right hand with his left. He pulled the fob watch out of his pocket and pressed it into the girl's hands. "Listen to me. Everything is going to be fine. I need you to open this for me, all right? Paige, can you do that for me?"

Paige's fingers curled around the watch. "Doctor..." Her eyes closed and her chest stilled. The watch remained unopened.

Closing his eyes, the Doctor bowed his head. "No!" Sari shouted, breaking free of Orin's grasp. She ran across the warehouse and threw herself down. She took Paige's face between her hands. "Paige. No. Nonono! This wasn't supposed to happen."

"You know what happens now?" the Doctor said, his tone steely. He rose to his feet and faced the Terrians. His dark brown eyes were hard as he strode towards them. "This has become very, very personal now. Starting with you lot, I will end this war before another person dies."

His sonic screwdriver came up. "No," Sari said from behind him. "Doctor, General Orin, Terrians, I name you as witnesses. I appoint this human child as reigning queen of Selvia in my place until I return to reclaim my position or this war ends. All Selvians will obey her."

"Sari, no!" the Doctor and Orin exclaimed in unison. Turning towards the queen, the Doctor activated the sonic screwdriver.

Sari burst into energy, enveloping Paige's body. There was a flash and Sari was gone. "No!" Orin said in disbelief.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said. "I broke the link with the ship, but she still was teleported away. She could be anywhere in the universe."

Orin glared at him and reverted to energy. He vanished. The Doctor spun around and pointed the sonic screwdriver at the computer. It sparked and smoked. "Leave this planet," the Doctor said, facing the Terrians. "Go back to your Emperor and inform him of what has happened."

"We await the Flesh Queen's surrender," General Enost said. He hit his wrist, and he was teleported away with the rest of the Terrians.

There was silence in the warehouse. "I killed her," Steve said, staring at Paige. "I killed a kid!"

The Doctor returned to Paige. "You did, but she's alive now," he called out. His eyes landed on the fob watch which was now open. Swiftly, he raised the sonic screwdriver and ran it over her body. He breathed out and shook his head. "Human. Completely human."

Cautiously, Steve approached. "What happens now?"

"Now, you forget all about this," the Doctor said, leaning down. He stood up with Paige in his arms. "And I suggest you throw that gun away and never pick one up again. Next time, there won't be a Selvian around to fix your mistake."

"Where are you taking her?" Steve asked in puzzlement.

"You heard yourself. She's just become a queen. I've got to get her to her new kingdom."

* * *

><p>Sighing, Paige opened her eyes. She frowned up at the strange, coralish ceiling above her. She shook her head and sat up. Slowly, she slid off the bunk and paused a moment to get her balance back. She tilted her head as she heard the sound of an engine.<p>

"Where am I?" she wondered softly. She rubbed the side of her head as she started walking. She followed the sound down a long hallway. At the end, she came to a large, circular room. Paige spotted a tall, familiar figure fiddling with some controls. "Doctor?"

Looking over, the Doctor grinned. "Hello," he said. "How are you feeling? We're almost to our destination."

"What happened?" Paige asked, coming forward. Her eyes stayed on the console in the middle of the room, her frown going deeper. "I remember sneaking through the warehouse towards voices." Her hand flew up to her chest, and she looked down as her fingers found the hole in her shirt. "I was shot!"

"Calm down, Paige," the Doctor said, walking towards her. "Sari healed you. You're fine."

"Fine," Paige repeated, turning her gaze back to the console. "Nothing seems fine. The Chameleon Circuit isn't supposed to be wired like that."

The Doctor paused and frowned. "What did you say?"

Paige stepped up to the console, running her hands over the controls lightly. "A real TARDIS," she said. "I didn't think I'd ever get to see one. She said all of them had been decommissioned years ago." She shook her head. "Wait. Where's Sari? Where are we going?"

"Paige, I need you to focus," the Doctor said, catching the teen's shoulders to hold her still. "How do you know about the TARDIS?"

For a moment, Paige met his gaze. Confusion and uncertainty warred in the girl's eyes. "I don't know," she whispered. "No. Yes, I do...don't I? My head is cluttered. Nothing makes sense!"

Slowly, the Doctor moved his hands up to her head. "Let me," he said, closing his eyes. There was stillness for a second. "Ah, I see. Your mind is scrambled. You weren't a Time Lord, but someone used the Chameleon Arch on you to hide you from...what? They took your memory and now you're trying to make sense of it. Who would do something like to a child?."

"War," Paige breathed. "War was coming. She said she would come back for me."

"Who?" the Doctor pressed. "Who was it?"

Paige's eyes flew open. "The Researcher," she said.

Startled, the Doctor pulled away from her. "The Researcher?" he repeated, opening his eyes. "No. That's not possible. She would never have done something like this. She was the strictest of the strict at the academy." He paused. "But where else would you have heard of her?"

"She was dismissed from the academy when her regeneration left her young, very young," Paige said, her tone distant. Her eyes held a faraway look. "She wanted to share her knowledge but she was forbidden from entering the academy for fifty years. It was feared she would be...distracting."

"How do you know that?"

"She told me, when I was old enough to understand. That's why she came to Earth. She chose me. She taught me what she knew of Theoretical Science and Technology. She said if Gallifrey wouldn't accept her then she would teach someone who would use the knowledge for good."

"The Researcher? A rebel?" the Doctor said with a laugh. "That is surprising. Just goes to show we never really know people like we think."

Paige blinked and shook her head. "Oh, my head hurts," she said.

"Sit down," the Doctor said, helping her to the floor. He crouched next to her. "It'll go away in a little bit. Your brain is trying to process a good-what, seven?- seven years of memories." He paused. "You know, I thought you were a young Time Lord when I saw the watch. Still, at least some of the Time Lord knowledge was passed on."

"The walls...they remind me of Gallifrey," Paige said, her gaze focusing somewhat on the walls. "So beautiful. So colorful. The Shinning World of the Seventh System."

"Hold on. You've seen Gallifrey?"the Doctor asked. "How?"

The teen finally looked at him, and her eyes held a look of maturity. "Once a year, the Researcher would return to the Citadel to request she be allowed to return to her position," Paige said. "When I was four years old, I began going with her. I saw the red grass and the silver leafed trees..."

The Doctor grinned. "And the other Time Lords didn't catch on?" he said. "That's brilliant. I wish I had known the Researcher better. In my time, she had a strict policy of letting humans stumble along on their own."

Paige's eyes closed. "There was the Untempered Schism."

"No," the Doctor protested in alarm. "She did not make you look on the Untempered Schism. That was meant only for Young Time Lords as initiation to the academy."

"She said it was time," Paige said, reopening her eyes. "I had just turned eight years old. I saw possibilities and endless choices."

Concerned, the Doctor reached out and touched her shoulder. "Paige, I can make you forget," he said. "That kind of thing can drive a Time Lord mad- and let me point out, that it did- let alone a human. You have a duty to perform now and we can't have you losing your mind on everyone."

"No," Paige said. She smiled. "It was beautiful and incredible. Don't you see? I chose my name then. The one thing I was allowed to remember after the Chameleon Arch."

"It wasn't Paige, was it," the Doctor said in realization. "It was _the Page_. A young person in the service of another." He stood up and held out his hand to her. "Well, you're about to prove you chose correctly. You've got entire species to serve now. Come on."

"What?" Paige asked, putting her hand in his. She stood up. "What are you talking about?"

"We've got to make you look like a queen."

* * *

><p>Taking a deep breath, Paige faced the doors of the TARDIS. "Head still bothering you?" the Doctor asked, walking around her. He examined her critically. "Yes, I think you'll do."<p>

Her gown was a silver that shimmered all colors of the rainbow when she moved. "I get an entire memory and a kingdom in one day," Paige responded. She offered a nervous smile. "Its a bit much to take in."

"You'll do fine," the Doctor assured her. "You're dressed for the role." He brought his hands out from behind his back. "I've got something for you. Every queen needs a crown. Now, there wasn't actually a place I could stop and pick up a gold crown. Fortunately, I had this on hand."

Amazed, Paige stared at the silver tiara. Diamonds sparkled in the light. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh, lets just say Marie Antoinette wanted to give me a souvenir," the Doctor said, setting it on the teen's head. "You might as well keep it since I'm never going to wear it. Think of how odd I'd look if I had a tiara on my head and I pulled out my glasses."

Unable to stop, Paige laughed. "There, that's better," the Doctor said in satisfaction. His face became serious. "Remember this isn't permanent. Once you find Sari, or you end the war, you stop being queen. I'm sure the Selvians will take you back to Earth, then. But that's the way it has to be."

The teen nodded. The Doctor turned and held up his sonic screwdriver. The doors of the TARDIS opened. "There," he said. "Make an entrance."

"Um, Doctor?" Paige asked, her voice nervous. She looked at the Doctor with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine," the Doctor quickly assured her. "Sari wouldn't trust you with this if you weren't capable."

"Its not that," Paige said. She lifted the edge of her gown and wiggled her bare toes. "We didn't get any shoes that match my outfit. Will that matter?"

The Doctor considered and pulled his left foot up. He took off the converse and then did the same with the the right foot. "There," he said, wiggling his own toes. "We're making a fashion statement. It'll be all the rage in a matter of weeks. Barefoot on Selvia."

Giggling, Paige faced the door and walked down the ramp. She stepped out onto Selvia. The TARDIS had landed in a large coliseum. Selvians drifted through the air in their energy form. Around the coliseum, there were Selvians in the form of other aliens, including Raxacoricofallapatorians**.**

A hush spread around the coliseum. The Doctor stepped out behind Paige. The teen walked to a podium set up not far from the TARDIS. She placed her hands on the stone and took a deep breath.

"That is the queen's place," Orin snarled, coming out of the crowd.

"I am Paige," the teen announced, ignoring the general. She glanced around the coliseum. "I have been appointed as proxy for Queen Sari until her return or the end of the war between Selvians and Terrians. I address all Selvians present here."

Another Selvian in the form of a human moved forward. "What qualifications do you have?" she demanded.

The Doctor moved forward to help out, but Page looked the woman in the eye. "I was born on the planet Earth," she said. "I was raised by Queen Sari. And prior to that, I was trained by the Time Lord, the Researcher. Those are my qualifications. Will they suffice?"

The Selvian stepped back and bowed from the waist. "Your Highness."

All around the coliseum, the Selvians bowed in acknowledgment. Paige glanced over, and the Doctor made a half bow in her direction, a big grin on his face. The young queen smiled back.

* * *

><p>For about an hour, the Doctor watched Paige move among the Selvians. Then General Orin approached her. "You are an imposter," the general accused in a low voice that.<p>

"Aw, you know that's not true," the Doctor spoke up, his voice echoing in the coliseum. "You were there when Queen Sari decreed this was her wish. There are two Terrian generals, and a human guard, who will testify to that."

Seriously, Paige regarded the general. "I do not trust you, General," she said in a low voice. "The Doctor informed me of his suspicions, and I find them plausible. However, there is no conclusive evidence against you." She smiled coldly. "To that end, I am giving you an assignment that I'm sure you will not fail at."

The general glared at her. "And what is that?"

"You and your young apprentice, Hirnov, will begin the search for Queen Sari," Paige told him, raising her voice so that all in the area would hear. "I expect you to make great progress."

"I will obey the queen's command," Orin said, his tone mocking.

The Doctor stepped up to Paige's side. "He's going to give you trouble that one," he said. "You've got this whole thing down pretty well."

"Yeah, there's not much difference between being a queen and a teenager's attitude," Paige responded with a quick smile. "You're leaving now, aren't you?"

"Places to see," the Doctor quipped. "Don't look so sad. I'll visit."

"Queen Paige," a Selvian in energy form said. "We have much to discuss."

Nodding, Paige glanced over. "Give me a moment," she requested. She walked with Doctor to the TARDIS. "There's one thing I need to know, Doctor. The Researcher said she'd return for me, and she never did. Is she-?"

"Gone, with the rest of Gallifrey," the Doctor answered, looking away. "I'm the last of the Time Lords."

Paige reached out and touched his hand. "I'm sorry I wasn't a Time Lord."

"But if you were, you wouldn't be you!" the Doctor said, forcing himself to be cheerful. He put his hand on the TARDIS door. "Don't worry about me You've got a war to end. I know that's going to take up a lot of your time and energy. Its not going to be easy."

"I know," Paige answered. "Thank you, Doctor. For everything." She threw her arms around the tall man and hugged him tightly. "Don't forget about me."

"Never," the Doctor said, hugging her back. He kissed her forehead and opened the TARDIS door. He stepped inside. "I said I'll visit."

"Where will you go now?" Paige asked.

The Doctor stuck his head out. "I picked up some strange readings back in London that I'm going to check out. From there, I don't know."

"Then, I'll see you later," Paige said.

Nodding, the Doctor pulled himself back in and closed the door. Stepping back, Paige watched the TARDIS vanish. She turned to the waiting Selvian. "All right," she said. "Tell me everything."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I had so much fun writing this, and I hope you enjoyed it too!**


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